Tributes

Fred Hart, deceased at home with his daughter by his side on the early morning of Thursday, February 1, 2024. Born Ferdinand August Carl t’Hart on December 21, 1927, in Delft, Netherlands, to the late Everardus t’Hart and Willemena Jacoba Ploos van Amstel. The youngest and last surviving sibling of 8 children, 4 girls and 4 boys. Along with Fred’s siblings and parents, he is preceded in death by his wife, Miep Hart, a son, Rodney Hart, and a granddaughter, Cisca Hart. Fred is survived by 3 children: Fred Hart of California, Maurice (Tana) J. Hart of Oregon, Michelle (Craig) E. Street of WV; 6 grandchildren: Jenelle Tomasello-Hart of California, Brandee L. Hart of Ohio, Jethro Hart of Ohio, Jack (partner-Hannah) Hart of Wisconsin, Guard (partner-Sarah) Dickens of WV, and Colt (Carole) Street of NC; 8 great-grandchildren: Annie, Anthony, Jerika, Jacob, Jarrett, Jaxson, Guard IV, and Pilot; along with many nieces, nephews, and other family members here in the U.S. and abroad. Fred’s teenage years in the Netherlands were spent during WW II. There was not much talk about those years, but after the war, he attended the University of Delft. He then spent his mandatory 2 years in the Royal Dutch Airforce and continued his education at the University as a technician at Cyclotron. In 1953, he decided to embark on his biggest adventure and immigrated to the US. With his sister Dien as his sponsor, he boarded a ship to America, landing in New York and taking a bus to her in Ogden, Utah. There, he met his bride—coincidentally also a migrant from the Netherlands—got married and started his career. He began his career at Litton Automated Business Systems in 1954 and later took a transfer, moving his family to Athens, Ohio, where he continued his career until 1972. Facing the economic challenges of the'70s, he lost his job with Litton and concluded his career in the Geology department at Ohio University, where he and his wife met many wonderful students, some of whom became as close as family. In his later years, Fred moved to WV to be near his daughter, where he eventually passed at the age of 96. During the time of caring for him, we would often ask him questions about his youth and such to keep him involved in conversation. We liked to quiz him about his travels after the war and the various countries he had visited. We started to notice a pattern: most of the time he and his friends were going to the southern countries. When I asked him about some of the more northern ones, he replied, “The girls were better looking to the south.” Those who know my dad should be chuckling right now; we can all hear him say it. He will be greatly missed. A graveside service for family and friends will be held on Saturday, February 17th, at 1pm at Alexander Cemetery, 2150 Hebbardsville Rd, Athens, OH. There will be a small reception following the service, location TBD. Arrangements entrusted to Grisell Funeral Home & Crematory, 751 Third Street, New Martinsville, WV.

Tributes

Fred Hart

December 21, 1927 - February 1, 2024